Usually people think about decorating in terms of additions, but it’s often the right subtraction that can really help a room. Over the weekend, we finally gave away the giant monolithic speakers that just didn’t work in our living room. Getting rid of those 2 pieces completely changed our space, making the room appear lighter and more balanced. Click below for a few ways to lighten up your own space…

Getting rid of just one piece only takes a moment and it costs nothing. To jump-start your inner declutterer, check out the following posts from AT:
• 10 Things We Should Have Gotten Rid of a Long Time Ago
• How To: Donate and Recycle Common Household Items
• The 29-Day Giving Challenge
• The 100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno
• Tips for Having a Garage (or Yard) Sale
• Auction Off That Stuff!

The kitchen is near the entryway, and is painted a very dark color to help separate it from the rest of the living space. The dark shelves blend in with the dark wall, allowing only the white lower cabinets to come forward visually which allows the cooking workspace to remain more of a backdrop to the table. The table itself is a much lighter alternative to a traditional kitchen island, but provides a large workspace.

Dan Semar and his wife Tiffany, purchased this Mid Century Modern home in 2007. It was built in 1964 by Burton Duenke who is known as the person that brought the “Califonia Ranch” to St. Louis. Wanting to retain the mid-century feel, they have worked many long hours to rework and landscape the front of their residence. 

3 hours with the jackhammer and they had removed the indecision of the old homeowners. They had originally used concrete , pavers, asphalt AND brick.

Dan gives Tiffany the credit when it comes to their creative use of Air Conditioner pads. They ended up finding them for $14 a piece. This saved the couple a good chunk of change. Otherwise, they would have needed to build and fill their own forms at an additional cost.

Their Honda Element was put to the test as it carried home 3 tons of rock to lay down in their new frame.

Eastern Red Cedar 

A low wall was constructed across the front of the house to give it an added dimension, as well as a great place for house numbers. Details like doorknobs and lighting weren’t forgotten as they searched for just the right piece.

The work they have completed makes this house a real treat to come home to at the end of the day.

The couple has done a great job of documenting their work along the way. You can see their Flickr set containing the rest of their hard work over here. Likewise, you can alsoview the slideshow to get a closer look! Did we mention their house sits on top of a 100′ bluff overlooking an 800 acre nature preserve? Check it out for yourself.

Just wanted to share this nice group of plants, for those that love the harmony of a limited color palette. These flower boxes are on the 1st floor and provide a nice screen from the street for anyone seated in the parlour of this apartment. And the green is nice, with just a spot of silver on the caladiums: not a blossom in sight, yet a beautiful arrangement of shapes and heights arranged in these simple black windowsill planters…

Ferns, caladiums, creeping phlox, and sweet potato vine (and, I think, a stray begonia as well) all are fine in the shade, which is what this north-facing window box gets all day. As much as I love blossoms, I think this is a colorful and vibrant display that will consistently look good all season long.

http://theredesign.com/

Name: Steve

Location: Boston, MA

Size: 693 sq/ft

Years lived in: Rented for 7 years, Owned for 3 years

For those who aren’t familiar with Boston’s North End, affectionately known as “Little Italy”, it’s the city’s oldest neighborhood and one of the most vibrant and intimate neighborhoods in Beantown. We’ve always wanted to step foot inside more North End apartments, so we were delighted to have the opportunity to tour Steve’s remodeled North End treasure…

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Steve’s decorating and design style is definitely minimalist (he’s in the process of adding some artwork) which allows for greater appreciation of the architectural details like the interior brick wall, the lovely blue tile in the bathroom, the sleek pocket door, and the self-designed grey tile mosaic in the kitchen.

AT Survey

Style: Modern minimalist with influences from Northern Europe (e.g. Germany, Sweden) and Asian (e.g. Japan, Hong Kong) architecture and living spaces.

Inspiration: I purchased the apartment which I had rented for many years. The previous owner had subdivided the space, but I always knew the apartment could be more than it was. So the day after closing, I began a process of demolition to the studs (no walls, no drop ceilings, no counter tops – just pure open space) to live and get a feel of what the place could be. Though it was not easy, I lived for months in the space while developing a scapbook of ideas from design magazines. Then one day in Germany I was reading a magazine, 20 Private Wohntraume, that profiled an apartment in London. At that moment, my ideas started to flow and I began the creation process. I had found my starting point.

Favorite Element: The creative collaboration between myself, the architect and the builder. Due to budget constraints, I worked with the architect during the design process, but was left to execute and interpret the plan with the builder.

Biggest Challenge: Since it was a complete gut renovation, how to distribute the construction budget across multiple rooms while monitoring overall investment so that it could be recouped in the long term. Plus, I had to move into a hotel for two months.

What Friends Say: Considering that my previous furniture collection consisted of a card table, two folding chairs and a mattress, “I never thought you could do this.”

Biggest Embarrassment: I should have involved the HVAC contractor much earlier in the design process which would have allowed for a more creative use of space. Ductwork is hard to change after the fact.

Proudest DIY: Did more than half of the demolition myself. I remember the words of the Home Depot salesperson, “Buy this sledgehammer and crowbar, turn off the power and start swinging.” Also, I picked out all of the fixtures, appliances and tile (I surprised myself. See “What Friends Say?”).

Biggest Indulgence: The bathroom medicine cabinet. Due to the design of the bathroom, I needed a vertical setup rather than the traditional horizontal orientation. When I saw it in a catalog, I knew it was the perfect fit, but it cost more than my dishwasher.

Best advice: Don’t be afraid to get professional help early in the process. Though it might seem like an extra expense, it enabled me to be more creative, make better decisions and develop a more satisfying finished product. Trust your gut feeling when making decisions.

Dream Sources:

Architecture: Katy and Kristen at THEREdesign

Construction: Dave at Colony Construction – 508-524-0629

Appliances: Yale Appliance

Art: Pam Reynolds

Kitchen and cabinetry: Ikea

Inspiration: Dwell magazine, Interior Design Magazine, Taschen Books

RUSTIC RESIDENCE A barn from Maine was reassembled and is now being converted into a home in Sullivan County, N.Y.

A three-story structure, it has three bedrooms, three and a half baths and 4,500 square feet, and is listed at $689,000.